Immigration Requirements

The Doctor of Ministry program is open to applicants from around the world. Persons who wish to enter the program may apply to be a participant in one of the regular cohort schedules and will be given the same tuition rate as all other cohort participants (see information about costs). The program schedule requires attendance at intensives once each year at a designated location, most of them meeting in the United States.

In general, if you are not a U.S. citizen, you cannot register for academic credit if you arrive using a visitor's visa. Persons arriving with the incorrect documents run the risk of being sent back home and might not be allowed to attend the intensive. If you miss an intensive, you may lose your place in the cohort and will either be required to start over from the beginning with a new cohort, or drop out of the program. Failure to obtain the proper documents could prove to be a costly mistake!

Unless you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or hold an R visa, a student visa is usually required. After receiving notice that you have been accepted, you will need a government-required document call the "I-20" which is issued by the University and must then be registered with the government along with a "SEVIS" fee. 

Please be in close and careful communication with the University's International Student Services office for guidance in all matters related to government documentation requirements. Contact them at iss@andrews.edu or 1-269-471-6395. 

3/1/2020